The Birds

Overview

Maidment Theatre is paying tribute to the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, by screening one of his most critically acclaimed creations, The Birds. The 1963 horror was inspired by British writer Daphne du Maurier’s novella by the same name, that was published in her 1952 collection “The Apple Tree.” Hitchcock’s film brings Maurier’s words to life, set in Bodega Bay, California when it is inexplicably and suddenly attacked by swarms of violent birds, who seek nothing but blood and murder.

The Birds was the film debut of Hitchcock’s golden girl Tippi Hedren, who played socialite Melanie Daniels, and follows her through her romance with Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor). To fit with the bird theme, the two meet in a pet shop, where Mitch intends to buy a pair of lovebirds (also fitting) although they have sold out, and jokingly mistakes Melanie for a shop assistant. The chemistry is instant, and pretty powerful, making the on screen romance one of my all time favourites.

Following the pet shop encounter, Melanie tracks down a pair of lovebirds and gifts them to Mitch. Whether this action sparks the craziness to come, nobody knows, as Hitchcock offers, “If you provide an explanation for the phenomenon then the film becomes science fiction; we're not making science fiction, Birds is a thriller, hence we leave out any explanation.” So we cannot be sure why birds become the most terrifying of serial killers in the subsequent scenes.

There isn't an exact allegory behind the bird apocalypse, so read into it as you will this October 4th at Maidment Theare. But be prepared to leave a little jumpy and very suspicious of the intentions of any creature with wings.